—I argued strongly with my parents, I don't really remember well why I did it, I just remember they didn't agree with my behavior, my late arrivals, and the fact that I went home with a different woman every day. I remember it was snowing, I took my car keys and drove to Elliot's house. I didn't want to be there in the house after the discussion. My phone rang at 4:00 am. It was the police. Apparently my parents go out to pick me up at Elliot's house and had an accident on the road with a truck. They didn't make it to the hospital. On the day of the funeral I promised on my parents' grave that I would change. I imposed a set of rules on myself that I swore I would never break under any circumstances. In spite of everything I had done in college, I studied like never before and finished my degree as one of the best. When I inherited everything I had to stay there for a year and as soon as the deadline was met I asked for a transfer to the museum where I worked and I was given the position of supervisor here. And well you know a little about the rest. I moved into the apartment, bought a club that gradually became the most prestigious in New York, and little by little I have been acquiring others. Elliot is the one who takes care of them mostly, he has better ideas than me about how to manage them, although over time I've been learning something. He was the one with the idea when we were in London and I agreed to put the money but only on the condition that it was in New York. And he agreed.
I think I understood something, if I was not mistaken he felt guilty for the death of his parents. That's what had made him so controlling with schedules and so strict with rules. Then I remembered what he said to me in the elevator.
—What rules did you set for yourself? —I asked him, remembering what he said to me in the elevator the day he squeezed my arms after lunch.
Christian looked at me squinting, as if thinking whether to tell me or not.
—I don't date anyone who works with me. —he said to me, staring me in the eyes as he smiled slightly.
—You haven't done very well with that one. —I said smiling.
—No. Not to be late under any circumstances. —he said to me while he was giving his glass a drink.
—Lunch was overextended. —I replied while we both laughed.
—Yes, but it was worth it, what I remember the most is what happened next. —he smiled sideways at me.
—I remember every time I looked at your office. —I replied while we both laughed.
—I never got drunk. —It was true in all the times we've had it I've never seen it passed out in drinks. —I'm not talking about my past, special London. —he said very seriously.
—Why did you do it then?
—Because I felt it was necessary, and it's just some stupid rules that I put in place to control myself.
—Any more?
—Don't trust everyone. Don't have more than one woman at the same time. He answered me.
—Were you too much of a womanizer? — I asked him curiously, if it had been so, I was afraid that it would continue to be so.
—That was in the past. Since I moved to New York I've only had one partner and I broke up with her a few days before we met again. —he replied even though I didn't really want to know. —And right now, I only have eyes for you. —he told me stealing a kiss that made me tremble.
And then I began to think briefly about everything he had told me and I came to a conclusion.
—You know that your parents' accident is not your fault. —I said to him as he looked at me this time seriously.
—I know, but in a certain way I feel responsible, if I hadn't argued with them...if I hadn't challenged them all that time as I did...maybe...they just might be alive. —he answered me again with a blank stare.
—And you haven't started to think that things happen for a reason. —I said to him as he stared at me. —And if you had obeyed and they had had the accident even though another day, you would also feel guilty. Like you said, you can't change the past, so why are you going to keep blaming yourself for that? You did the right thing, you changed, you finished your degree, you have several successful businesses and you're only what, 25 years old. Don't you think your parents would be proud of what you've accomplished, of the man you've become? —I said to him as he looked at me without taking his eyes off my eyes and I held one of his hands without realizing it.
Christian looked at me for a while without taking his eyes off mine. His gray eyes looked at me with tenderness I could say. Then he smiled at me slightly.
—I'm 24, and you're somewhat right. No one had ever spoken to me the way you have. I think it's the first time I understand the situation well and I don't feel so much remorse. —he said, pausing and putting the cup on the ground, he raised his hand to caress my face slowly. — Where have you been all this time Ana?
—Here in New York. —I answered him while he laughed and so did I.
—I don't understand why we've never crossed paths. —he said to me while I thought about it.
—Now that I think about it, neither do I, I went almost every day to the museum until almost closing time.
—Seriously. —he asked in amazement. —Well at last we ended up meeting again. —he said to me, squeezing me against him and kissing me.
Then Christian looked at his watch briefly and smiled.
—Come on, it's time I showed you the painting. —he got up and helped me to get up too.
We walked towards the room until I stood in front of the painting still covered with cloth.
—Now close your eyes, don't spy. —he said pointing at myself with one finger, and then I closed my eyes.
I felt him walk away from me and then come back again, hugging me from behind and gluing his lips to my ear.
—Now. Happy Birthday! You can open your eyes. —I did what he told me.
I opened my eyes and in front of me was the canvas where I was painted reading the book, flushed, with a smile on my face as I stared at the page of the book. You could see some skin around the collar of the shirt slightly open, but it didn't go beyond where my breasts began. On many occasions I had imagined what it would look like if someone drew me, but when you see the result you realize that it's never as you imagined it would be, it's much better...a moment; he said Happy Birthday!
—Happy birthday? — I asked him intrigued.
I got out of his arms and turned around in front of him, the painting had left me so impressed that I had not listened to what he had said.
—Isn't today your birthday? —he asked, passing his hand through his hair.
—How are we today? — I asked him lost, I didn't even remember how we were.
Since I started with Christian I had lost track of time. There was nothing when I was with him.
—Well, it's exactly 12:10 am on June 9th. —he answered me by looking at his watch while I was surprised with my mouth open.
—Yes, you're right. It's my birthday. How do you know when I haven't even remembered it? —I asked him curiously.
—Elliot told me, I think Kate mentioned something to him. —he smiled back at me.
—It's unbelievable, how could I forget my own birthday. —I said thoughtfully as I shook my head.
—Then you liked your first birthday present. —he asked me as he stared at me.
—I loved it, thank you. — I said to him as I approached him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. —You said the first one. Are there any more? —I asked him while he smiled at me, squeezing me against his body.
—Now I'm going to show you the second one. —he said as he devoured my lips sensually.
In a quick movement he lifted me up and carried me in his arms to take me to the bed where he lowered me gently and we made love until both of us fell exhausted with pleasure.
When I woke up I noticed something, Christian was hugging me, both completely naked and had not tied the night before. It was strange that with what had already happened on one occasion we would not have remembered it. His hands tightened more around me as he began to kiss my naked back and his limb pressed against my buttocks.
—Aren't you tired? —I asked him as I felt him laugh behind me.
—Of you, never. —he said as he continued his kisses.
—So you plan to spend the whole day in bed? —I asked him, turning to him.
—Not really, I have other plans. —he said looking for his watch on the bedside table. —And apparently I have to make some readjustments to the schedules. —he said as he looked at the time on the clock and put it back on the nightstand.
- Plans?
—Yeah, you don't think we'll spend your birthday here in bed. —he said, sticking more to me. —As tempting as the idea seems at the moment. —he replied smiling at my lips before kissing me and getting out of bed.
We went to the bathroom and took a quick shower from where Christian came out to the closet and I sat on the bed thinking what clothes I was going to wear.
—I don't have any clothes here. —I shouted at him, sitting on the bed in my underwear.
—I think the dress will be fine. —he answered, peeking out briefly in unbuttoned jeans.
My dress was placed on a chair. I had picked it up from the floor the morning after the wedding.
—Where were the shoes? — I thought I remembered that I had taken them off in the elevator but maybe he had picked them up.
—Let's see if they're where we left them. —he replied as he left the room without shoes and with a white shirt still unbuttoned.
He came back a few minutes later with the shoes of both of them in his hands and smiling.
—It's one of the advantages of having a private elevator. —he said giving me my shoes and walked to the closet again.
After putting on my dress and shoes I went to the bathroom to accommodate my hair a little. When I got back I started looking for the wallet that I couldn't remember where I had left it. I found it on the floor under the bed. I pulled out my cell phone and had several missed calls from Kate. I also had two messages, the first was from Kate.
"I guess you left with Christian so I don't worry anymore, I'll see you when you get back."
The second message was from my parents.
"Congratulations on your birthday, we hope you're having a good time, a kiss from Mom and Dad."
Strange, Kate hadn't remembered my birthday, although not even I had. Christian came out of the closet making me look up from my cell phone. He had put on a black unbuttoned jacket and black shoes as well. He had the two upper buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, the jeans were perfect, fitted to his body. He looked sexy and casual. Now I was wondering what he had prepared for today.
—I told you once, but I'll tell you again. —he said as he approached me. —You look beautiful in that dress. —he said, coming to my side and stealing a kiss that ended up taking my breath away. —Now, what if we go out, I don't want to have to make any more changes. —he said as he intertwined his fingers are mine.
It was the first time I had done so, and just as on the countless occasions when his fingers touched my skin, a current began to run through my entire body. The trip in the elevator was silent, we just exchanged glances as we slowly descended to the parking lot. We got out of the elevator smiling at each other like two silly lovers and got into the car. Christian started and we left the parking lot as he turned on the player and a music I knew began to play.
—Lifehouse? — I asked him curiously.
I didn't know much about the group, just some songs like the one we were listening to in the car at the time.
—Yes. —he replied, smiling as he turned briefly towards me. —I really like this song.
—You can turn it up. —I asked him while he smiled at me.
—Of course. —he said as the chords of "You and Me" flooded the car.
He drove the car through the city while the player changed from one song to another and we arrived at the marina.
—Are we going out on the yacht? —I asked him curiously as I got out of the car.
—Yes. —he replied, briefly squeezing my hand as we began to walk along the pier between the yachts.
The yacht continued to be as splendid as I remembered. We climbed up and after Christian released the moorings he led me towards the cockpit. After making a few checks and pressing buttons I didn't know what they were for, he started the yacht with a slight motor buzz and we gently got off the dock. It was incredible with the dexterity that drove it and I gawked at it sitting next to it as it smiled. About an hour later and away from the city he stopped the yacht and turned to me smiling.
—Now, I have a surprise for you, close your eyes. —he asked me while I obediently closed them.